The profession of peddler on the North Shore is disappearing with the distribution starting next week of local newspapers by Canada Post employees.
This change, which has already been made in several regions of Quebec, is poorly received by several factors.
“We all have this fear, this anxiety of this weight that we will have to carry on our backs, day after day,” testified Jean-Sébastien Thiffault, postman for 11 years in Sept-Îles.
He will see his task and his bags increase from May 1st. Every week, he should distribute the local newspaper, the new advertising leaflet called “Raddar” to the 750 doors in his sector, in addition to the letters, packages and circulars that he already has to deliver.
From being a postman, he has the impression of being transformed into a peddler. He and several of his colleagues fear above all an increase in the risk of bodily harm.
“It’s the wear and tear that it will bring, day after day, week after week, on the back, the joints, the knees. The cumulative weight that we carry will lead to injuries and fatigue,” he explained.
Postmen are likely to travel greater distances since they will have to return to the relay boxes more frequently to refill their bags.
“We are limited in our bags, we cannot have too much stock. We have a limit of 35 pounds that we carry with us. We will have to return to recharge, return to where we were to continue,” indicated Jean-Sébastien Thiffault.
Raddar brings together circulars from several traders. Its implementation predicted a reduction in the quantity of advertising delivered to homes.
The opposite happened, according to the Union of Postal Workers representing 11,000 Canada Post workers in Quebec.
Distribution by Raddar mail carriers in addition to that of circulars is already established in several regions of Quebec. This change would have caused significant personnel movements.
“There have been departures, there have been people who are burned out. There were injuries, a lot of discouragement,” said Judith Nadeau, regional leader of the union who is calling on Canada Post to implement new tools to help mail carriers in this transition.
The addition of a dozen relay boxes in Sept-Îles is one of the measures envisaged, but they have still not been installed, one week before the start of distribution of Raddar and the local newspaper.
“Former postmen must wonder where this profession is going,” asked Jean-Sébastien Thiffault.
He has not yet questioned his career choice, but he will not persist in his job as a postman if he realizes that it is burning out.
“If at any given moment it is too hard physically, if it takes me beyond what I am capable of supporting, I will definitely evaluate my options for the future.”
